Old established, originally the 'blue blood' of the Napa, whose reputation was established in the 1940's, 1950's, and 1960's by the brilliant Russian-born winemaker André Tchelistcheff. Tchelistcheff came over from France in 1938, his skills as a winemaker being in demand for the restoration of this property post-Prohibition. Restore it he did, spurred on perhaps by an intense rivalry with near neighbour Inglenook, both on prime Napa territory, the Rutherford Bench.